Communications networks are widely used for nationwide and worldwide communication of voice, multimedia and/or data. As used herein, communications networks include public communications networks, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), terrestrial and/or satellite cellular networks and/or the Internet.
The Internet is a decentralized network of computers that can communicate with one another via Internet Protocol (IP). The Internet includes the World Wide Web (WWW) service facility, which is a client/server-based facility that includes a large number of servers (computers connected to the Internet) on which Web pages or files reside, as well as clients (Web browsers), which interface users with the Web pages. The topology of the World Wide Web can be described as a network of networks, with providers of network services called Network Service Providers, or NSPs. Servers that provide application-layer services may be referred to as Application Service Providers (ASPs). Sometimes a single service provider provides both functions.
Due to the public accessibility of modern communications networks, users of these networks may be concerned with security and/or privacy. As such, a variety of technical means for ensuring security and/or privacy for information transmitted over communications networks have been developed. However, because of the complexity of these technical mechanisms, considerable expertise may be required to determine optimal security settings among the options available. In other words, users at endpoints of a communications channel may not be able determine the best security choices for their endpoints even if expert advice is occasionally obtained.